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2014 Mock Draft Thread

Yes, this is way too early, but this stuff is fun for me and gives me the opportunity to check out new players.

I'll continue to update this periodically and then more frequently once the season is over. Please use this for discussion, debating, etc. Also, if you have your own mock ups that you're working on, post'em up!

This is based off of where I think teams will wind up as the season progresses. Clearly, that will be the biggest change as the season goes on.

Round 1:

1. Jacksonville Jaguars – Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina (6’6’ 272lbs). Yes, the Jags need a quarterback. However, Clowney is to the defensive line as Calvin Johnson is to wide receivers: once in a decade type of player. I just can’t see Gus Bradley passing up on Clowney when he can easily take one of the many quarterbacks in later rounds.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville (6’3” 220lbs). I’ve heard a lot of folks downplay Bridgewater’s ability because he plays in the Big East. Do folks not remember how he throttled Florida in the Sugar Bowl last year? Bridgewater can play and the Bucs clearly need to address the quarterback position after benching Josh Freeman. The only way they don’t go quarterback is if Mike Glennon shows some promise and develops quickly, which is possible I suppose.

3. St. Louis Rams – Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan (6’8” 300lbs). I know the Rams just invested heavily in the tackle position by signing Jake Long, but he has had some injury concerns and their other tackle, Roger Saffold, is a pending free agent. I’m not sure that the Rams will stick it out with Sam Bradford, but they desperately need to upgrade their offensive line and Lewan is one of the top players available in this draft.

4. New York Giants – Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M (6’5” 305lbs). The Giants have a lot of talent, but seem to be playing uninspired football. One area that is rather deficient is their offensive line though. They have Justin Pugh starting at right tackle, but I think he would be much better suited as a guard. Matthews is an athletic tight end with a fantastic bloodline and a nasty streak to him. Matthews and Pugh lined up on the right side would give the Giants a lot of athleticism and depth.

5. Oakland Raiders – Anthony Barr, DE/LB, UCLA (6’4” 235lbs). Barr is a heck of a pass rusher, but he can also drop into coverage and play stand-up linebacker as well. The Raiders just need to get better talent on the defensive side of the ball and Barr has tremendous potential as a 3-down hybrid linebacker. I think he could be used very similarly to how the Broncos use Von Miller.

6. Minnesota Vikings – Tahj Boyd, QB, Clemson (6’1” 225lbs). Boyd brings all of the athletic ability that quarterbacks like Russell Wilson and Collin Kaepernick bring, but Boyd is also a tremendous passer with excellent accuracy. I have a hard time believing that the Vikings are going to continue on with Christian Ponder for another year and if they don’t want to waste Adrian Peterson, they’ll bring in a better quarterback ASAP.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers – Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson (6’1” 205lbs). Even with injuries along the offensive line and players playing out of position, Roethlisberger still threw for over 400 yards and 2 scores against the Bears. Almost 200 yards of that game went to Antonio Brown because no one else can get open and make plays. The Steelers head into next off-season with some major questions at a lot of positions, but Watkins may be one of the best available players at this point and he gives the Steelers a deep threat that they lost when Mike Wallace went to the Dolphins.

8. St. Louis Rams (From Washington) – Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA (6’3” 229lbs). Sam Bradford is a free agent and even if the Rams re-sign him, he has been far too inconsistent to be a franchise quarterback. Hundley is coming from an NFL coaching staff (Jim Mora Jr.) and has developed into a multi-dimensional player. If Hundley continues his success this season, he could very well be the top quarterback chosen next year. He completed 66% of his passes in 2012 with a 29 to 11 touchdown to interception ratio. Additionally, Hundley can beat you with his feet. He ran for over 700 yards and 9 touchdowns in 2012.

9. New York Jets – Marqise Lee, WR, USC (6’ 195lbs). Lee has a nice combination of speed, quickness, leaping ability and route-running ability. He has been a very productive player for the Trojans for multiple years and he would be a nice compliment to Stephen Hill with the Jets. If Geno Smith continues to develop nicely, I think the Jets would be wise to get him better weapons.

10. Arizona Cardinals – Stephon Tuitt, DE/DT, Notre Dame (6’6” 305lbs). Tuitt may be the best 5-technique defensive lineman in this draft. For a guy his size, he moves extremely well and he does a great job using his long arms to keep offensive lineman off of him before shedding the block and making a play. He also brings some pass rushing skills to the table, which is nice to see from a 5-technique player. Darnell Docket isn’t nearly as dominate as he once was and the Cards will definitely look to develop better defensive depth.

Re: 2014 Mock Draft Thread

11. Buffalo Bills – Brad Roby, CB, Ohio State (5’11” 190lbs). Leodis McKelvin has never lived up to his first round status and outside of Stephon Gilmore, the Bills are severely lacking in their secondary. If they can manage to keep safety Jairus Byrd then that will be a huge victory. Roby has nice size, above excellent speed and fluidness as well as above average tackling ability for a corner. In 2012 he had 63 tackles, a sack and nearly 20 passes defensed.

12. Cleveland Browns – Johnny Manzeil, QB, Texas A&M (6’1” 205lbs). I don’t think it matters how well Brian Hoyer plays for the rest of the season; Michael Lombardi is going to get “his” guy and it is no secret that he is enamored with Johnny Manzeil. I’ll concede that Manzeil is a phenomenal athlete and has a knack for the big play, but I don’t think he’d be a great fit in Cleveland; especially outdoors in the elements after October when it is cold, windy and snowing.

13. Philadelphia Eagles – Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, FS, Alabama (6’1” 208lbs). The Eagles’ safeties are terrible. It is really hard for cornerbacks to keep receivers in their line of sight for the entire game and corners are reliant upon safeties playing in good position. The Eagles’ safeties are all over the place and often hang their corners out to dry. Clinton-Dix has ideal size for a safety and he has nice deep coverage skills. Additionally, Clinton-Dix has the ability to play in the box and assist with run-support; however, his skills are better suited as a free safety.

14. Atlanta Falcons – Louis Nix III, DT, Notre Dame (6’3” 340lbs). Nix isn’t going to wow anyone with incredible pass-rushing skills, but Atlanta needs defensive linemen who can clog up the middle of the field and keep their athletic linebackers clean. Nix commands double teams, which will open things up for guys like Kroy Bierman and Osi Umenyiora.
15. San Diego Chargers – Loucheiz Purifoy, CB, Florida (6’1” 189lbs). The Chargers need a cornerback who can legitimately cover #1 receivers. The Chargers play the Broncos twice a year now and the Broncos have three different receivers who went over 1,000 yards in 2012. The Chargers let Quinton Jammer go and Antione Cason is now an Arizona Cardinal. Shareece Wright is a decent player, but they need someone to do the heavy lifting. Purifoy is an ideal press-man corner with the speed to run with most receivers.

16. Tennessee Titans – Trent Murphy, DE, Stanford (6’6” 261lbs). Murphy is a well-rounded defensive player with nice pass rushing moves and run stopping ability. He can also stand up and play in 3-4 schemes. Murphy doesn’t have elite closing speed, so I don’t think he’d ever develop into a top flight pass rushing defensive end, but he did have 10 sacks in 2012 and 18 tackles for loss. The Titans are barely playing Kameiron Wimbley and could really use another pass rusher opposite of Derrick Morgan.

17. Carolina Panthers – James Hurst, OT, UNC (6’7” 313lbs). Hurst is not a household name at this point, but the guy is a heck of an offensive tackle. He’s been a 4-year starter at left tackle for the Tar Heels and he does a great job as a pass blocker and run blocker. The Panthers could stand to upgrade their offensive tackle positions as they have had a revolving door at right tackle and their left tackle, Jordan Gross, will be 34 years old next year.

18. Cleveland Browns (From Indianapolis) – Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt (6’3” 210lbs). Pretty much everyone that currently plays for the Browns and wasn’t drafted in 2013 is on the trading block, including Greg Little, Travis Benjamin and Josh Gordon. Gordon is super talented, but has off-field issues. Benjamin is a good slot receiver and I think he’ll be retained. Greg Little, on the other hand, is athletic and big, but he drops far too many catchable passes. Jordan Matthews would be a huge upgrade over Little and could easily become Cleveland’s #1 receiver. He had 100+ yard games against multiple top tiered SEC defenses and even with poor QB play, he had over 1,300 yards receiving in 2012.

19. Detroit Lions – Jason Verrett, CB, Texas Christian (5’10” 177lbs). Verrett is a physical player and plays with a chip on his shoulder, but he isn’t a physically imposing corner. That said, he has excellent ball skills and man-coverage skills. He has outstanding hip fluidity and he isn’t afraid to come up and make a tackle. Detroit has had issues in their secondary for a few years now and while Chris Houston has gotten a lot better since being a high 2nd round draft pick by Atlanta in 2007, but the Lions could definitely use better depth.

20. Dallas Cowboys – Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M (6’5” 226lbs). Evans is a tall and muscular receiver with above average vertical speed and quickness. He needs some coaching as a route runner, but his size and leaping ability make him a mismatch for most defenses. Even with Ryan Swope on the roster in 2012, as a freshman, Evans snagged over 80 receptions for 1,100+ yards and 5 touchdowns. Dez Bryant is the Cowboy’s number one receiver, but Miles Austin is a shell of his former self and Terrance Williams has struggled. The Cowboys need to give Tony Romo as many weapons as possible.

Re: 2014 Mock Draft Thread

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

I’ll concede that Manzeil is a phenomenal athlete and has a knack for the big play, but I don’t think he’d be a great fit in Cleveland; especially outdoors in the elements after October when it is cold, windy and snowing.

Manziel, if he runs in the NFL like he does in college, won't make it to November, especially in the AFCN.

Re: 2014 Mock Draft Thread

21. Houston Texans – CJ Mosley, LB, Alabama (6’2” 233lbs). Houston could go a couple of different ways here, but I think they’ll look to take one of the top defensive players available and Mosley certainly fits the bill. He could be a day-1 starter beside Brian Cushing and provide a significant upgrade over Tim Dobbins and Daryl Sharpton. Mosley is a rangy linebacker with a nose for the ball and elite closing speed.

22. Cincinnati Bengals – Marcus Roberson, CB, Florida (6’ 199lbs). Roberson is a good all-around corner. He can play man coverage, but he also has the athleticism and quickness to play in zone defenses. He doesn’t have elite ball skills, but he will capitalize on errant throws and make plays on the ball. He also provides some value as a return specialist. The Bengals can’t rely on Terrance Newman and Adam Jones forever. Dre Kirkpatrick seems to be taking his sweet time developing, so the Bengals would be wise to invest in more cornerbacks.

23. Miami Dolphins – Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama (6’6” 310lbs). Koundjio doesn’t have a lick of fat on him and is an incredibly strong and athletic lineman with outstanding technique. He has a tendency to play stiff from time to time, but he does have the potential to turn into an elite left tackle in the NFL. The Dolphins moved Jon Martin from RT to LT after they let Jake Long go and while the experiment hasn’t been a huge catastrophe, they could stand to solidify the positions and give Ryan Tannehill as much protection as possible. Additionally, Kouandjio would upgrade their ability to run block as well.

24. Chicago Bears – Ra’Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota (6’6” 315lbs). When was the last time Minnesota produced a first round prospect? The answer was Laurence Maroney in 2006. He is no longer in the league. Along with being huge, Haggeman moves really well and had 8 tackles for loss, 2 batted passes and 6 sacks in 2012. He currently has 5 tackles for loss and 1 sack. The Bears used their franchise tag on Henry Melton last year, who is now hurt, so it is likely that they will not be able to keep Melton. Haggeman isn’t the pass rusher that Melton is, but he’d free up a lot of 1-on-1 looks for Julius Peppers and their other defensive linemen.

25. Baltimore Ravens – Antonio Richardson, OT, Tennessee (6’6” 330lbs). Richardson kind of follows a trend of Ravens linemen. He is big, strong, and athletic and has a ton of untapped potential. The Ravens are going to be tight against the cap next year, so there is a strong possibility that they could be unable to re-sign Michael Oher and they may have to cut Bryant McKinnie. Being able to land an offensive tackle prospect like Richardson late in round 1 would really ease the losses of Oher and McKinnie. Richardson has solid technique as a pass blocker and in 2012 he was a major factor in Tennessee only allowing 8 sacks all season, which is a huge success. Against Jadeveon Clowney, Richardson only allowed 1 sack and kept him at bay most of the game.

26. Green Bay Packers – Jack Mewhort, OT, Ohio State (6’7” 309lbs). Mewhort has some difficulties blocking smaller, quick pass rushers, but he does an excellent job as a motion run blocker and he did have success as a pass blocker. Aaron Rodgers is one of the most sacked QBs in the NFL and if the Packers want to get back to the Super Bowl, they need to get better on the OL. Mewhort could challenge Bulaga for the LT position, but he could also line up at RT.

27. San Francisco 49ers – Brandon Coleman, WR, Rutgers (6’6” 225lbs). The Niners have been struggling at receiver for two years. Anquan Boldin has done great thus far, but is 33 years old and will be a free agent after this season. Michael Crabtree has had durability concerns and neither Kyle Williams nor Jon Baldwin have been impressive. Rookie Quinton Patton could emerge as a solid player, but the Niners need that outside receiver who can cause mismatches all over the field. Coleman is enormous and unlike a lot of taller receivers, he runs well too.

28. New England Patriots – Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington (6’6” 265lbs). The Patriots have not been themselves and a big reason for that is not having any dynamic players at the tight end position. Gronkowski is still Gronkowski when he’s healthy, but they are definitely missing Aaron Hernandez. Seferian-Jenkins has a ton of athleticism and is a natural receiver. He is also a decent blocker. He has some off-field issues, but that has never deterred Bill Belichick in the past, so why would it now?

29. New Orleans Saints – Khalil Mack, DE/LB, Buffalo (6’3” 245lbs). Mack is a man amongst boys playing at Buffalo. Even against tougher competition, he has thrived. Against Ohio State this year he beat Jack Mewhort for 3 sacks and he returned an interception for a touchdown. In 2012 he had 94 tackles, 21 for loss, 8 sacks and four forced fumbles. The kid is a player and brings it every snap. Rob Ryan has implemented a 3-4 pressure-scheme in New Orleans and he needs players that can function in that scheme. Mack could play inside or outside. If he has an outstanding combine, he could shoot up draft boards.

30. Kansas City Chiefs – Antonio Johnson, DT, LSU (6’3” 307lbs). Now that Andy Reid is the head coach in KC, he will continue his drafting ways and take a defensive or offensive lineman early in the draft. Johnson is excellent against the run and would provide KC nice depth as a 5-technique DE. Tyson Jackson has been a huge bust and it wouldn’t be too hard for Johnson to beat out Jackson for a starting role on the defensive side of the ball.

31. Seattle Seahawks – Domonique Easley, DE, Florida (6’2” 285lbs). Easley was having an outstanding season before suffering an ACL tear. He plays the run very well and he has some nice pass rushing skills as well. Pete Carroll values pass rushers and Easley has the ability to line up at all four positions along the defensive line. The Seahawks have Cliff Avril, Chris Clemons and Michael Bennett on short contracts and I’d expect that at least one or two of those guys will be cut or not re-signed after this season.

32. Denver Broncos – Jackson Jeffcoat, DE, Texas (6’5” 250lbs). Jeffcoat has done a nice job so far in 2013 racking up 17 tackles, 2 for loss and a number of QB pressures. In 2012, he had 11 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles and 4 sacks. He gets double-teamed a lot, which is why his sack total isn’t more impressive, but on a team where he’d be rushing the passer opposite of Von Miller, he might get more favorable match ups. The Broncos don’t really need a whole lot, but Robert Ayers is coming up on a contract year and while Shaun Phillips has filled in admirably for Von Miller, he is 32 years old and will be 33 next spring.

Re: 2014 Mock Draft Thread

Nope, but you know damn well that some team is going to take a gamble with him.

His big play capability will sell tickets and he already has a national following, albeit some of it is not great.

Love your pick for the Ravens Wicked!

Richardson is the last of what I call "The Big 5" OTs in your mock which have the potential to be a great LT. If we can get one of them with our 1st pick and either of the TEs from Oregon or Iowa in the 2nd (or the ILB from Tennessee if he is still around) I'd be a happy man.

And I so much hope that the Browns pick Johnny Football which should probably screw up that franchise for another 5 years at least!

Re: 2014 Mock Draft Thread

Originally Posted by PalladinInNC

Love your pick for the Ravens Wicked!

Richardson is the last of what I call "The Big 5" OTs in your mock which have the potential to be a great LT. If we can get one of them with our 1st pick and either of the TEs from Oregon or Iowa in the 2nd (or the ILB from Tennessee if he is still around) I'd be a happy man.

And I so much hope that the Browns pick Johnny Football which should probably screw up that franchise for another 5 years at least!

No complaints Wicked (but the Chiefs picking 30th....Really!!!)

The Chiefs have a hell of a defense and a QB that won't light the works on fire, but doesn't make mistakes. If they can keep Charles healthy, they could go deep because of that D.

Re: 2014 Mock Draft Thread

I also LOVE your Ravens pick! If it happens,you should get a finders fee! What would be a second position in case the best OT's are gone? ASJ or Ebron @ TE? Ha Ha @ Safety as Dig is pretty old? A CB perhaps?

Other AFC Norths:

Steelers, yuck...can't see another WR. They got Wheaton this year and while he hasn't played much he should move into the rotation and do well I think. I'm afraid to say it but they almost MUST take an OT, the best available.

Browns- QB is obvious. Manziel I think will be thought of as a solid 1st round pick by the end of the season. Just look at the throws he made vs Alabama: he hit on all the required NFL throws. But if not Manziel whoever the QB they most like: Boyd, Hundley, Mariota: whomever is available. For their 2nd pick, yep another WR is correct.